Student summer benefits - paying rent

kelloggs36

It's funny that children are only classed as children when it suits the government though - the OP is no longer a child but an adult now. The parents of the OP probably don't have that much spare cash; I didn't as a parent of a 'child' going to university, yet somehow it is presumed that we have loads of money sploshing around to give to our adult children. As an adult, I expected my 'child' to get a job and support herself - although I didn't charge her rent during the holidays. I fed her etc whilst she was here during the holidays, but whilst she was away she was responsible for herself. When she gets a job at the end (hopefully) she will be expected to pay rent etc, but not whilst a student.

custardy

kelloggs36 wrote: »

It's funny that children are only classed as children when it suits the government though - the OP is no longer a child but an adult now. The parents of the OP probably don't have that much spare cash; I didn't as a parent of a 'child' going to university, yet somehow it is presumed that we have loads of money sploshing around to give to our adult children. As an adult, I expected my 'child' to get a job and support herself - although I didn't charge her rent during the holidays. I fed her etc whilst she was here during the holidays, but whilst she was away she was responsible for herself. When she gets a job at the end (hopefully) she will be expected to pay rent etc, but not whilst a student.

in that case as an adult the student has to work out if they can afford to study,and how they will fund it
if the parents cant/wont provide the level of funding that is calculated as required then the student has to work to cover that money or cant go to uni

Bogof_Babe

It sounds to me like the reason the parents can't support their student daughter is because they are servicing debts. In a roundabout way she is asking the taxpayer to contribute to her parents' debt repayments, which is obviously not a realistic expectation.

Also it is not "rent" that her parents are asking her for, but board and lodgings. I'd have thought however strapped they are, reasonable parents would waive charging for the use of a bed and a few quid's worth of food, given their daughter's predicament.

AnxiousMum

sh1305 wrote: »

She said she was given a grant of £50.

In which case her parents have a combined income of £50K plus per annum. Actually possibly more, as even on a combined income of just under that, my son would qualify for about £750 grant on top of his maintenance loan. I guess my first son would've too....possibly more as our income was quite a bit lower three years ago.

Maybe the OP needs to look at the fact that if they can't afford to live off of student loans for the year, can't find summer/part time term employment, that they may just have to do what alot of us have had to do - and do it part time whilst working full time. Just because you 'can', doesn't mean you 'must'.....maybe do it when the time is better to do so. Take a gap year, work full time and put some money away for the next two years. All kinds of alternatives.

silvercar

It may be that her mother is having to manage on reduced income when the new baby arrives and can't afford to support her uni child as much as she first promised/ expected to.

AnxiousMum

silvercar wrote: »

It may be that her mother is having to manage on reduced income when the new baby arrives and can't afford to support her uni child as much as she first promised/ expected to.

May very well be, but that doesn't stop the OP from getting summer work, or from having to make changes to plans, again, as many have had to do before her. If £50 a week is not a doable option for her, and this is what the mother is insisting on in order for the OP to continue on her chosen path, then something needs to change.

Jowo_2

LucyP48 wrote: »

Basically I'm a student about to finish my first year of uni. I dont have a job sorted yet, does anyone know if I am able to get job seekers or income support? I have to pay £50 a week rent to my parents, they're both in debt and have a baby on the way so theres no way around it. Does anyone no if theres any support for people in my position?

It's a great shame that your parents are burdening you with their financial problems when you have limited opportunities to help them out. This must be an unwelcome pressure. I've noticed an increase in posts from children getting enmeshed into their parents financial problems.

I suggest you encourage them to make their own posts on the benefit board and the debt free wanabee boards to check if they are receiving their correct entitlements and sort out their debts once they've posted their statement of accounts. There are handy tools (such as a budget planner spreadsheet on this website). Get them to put in their details into the Entitled To website to check their benefit entitlements. Get them to go to the Citizens Advice bureau to understand how to manage their debts.

I suggest your best policy is to avoid being sucked into your parents financial problems and simply support them by encouraging them to go to advice charities that can deal with their problems.

Do you have the opportunity or inclination to stay on in your University digs over summer and find work or alternative accommodation? A lot of students will return home and therefore it could be easier to find work and cheap/temporary accommodation there. That way, even if you can't contribute to your parents household budget, you won't cause them any expenses, such as food/energy, which could help them out, plus you avoid being dragged into their personal problems.

Breast_Cancer_Survivor

sunnyone wrote: »

says someone who claims all benefits avalable in full for her kids, she wants even more money to have at least one other kid knowing that they cant support it and cant understand why some people think that thats wrong!

kettle pot?

I worked all my life until I got ill with breast cancer for the 2nd time at the age of 33 & whilst a single mum of 3 thankyou very much.

Yes im on benefits temporarily until im better & im not ashamed as ive paid into the system.

I was married & working when I had my kids so apart from child benefit didn't claim anything.

2 of my kids are autistic as I am so we are entitled to DLA etc so why shouldn't I claim it?

Yes I would like another child with my new partner as he hasn't had the joy of being a father yet & as in getting on for 40 I might not have time to wait for another couple of years until I can go back to work.

The op's situation is very different to mine & you know it, I am actually entitled to claim benefits & the op isn't.

Nicifer_noonoo

LucyP48 wrote: »

My mums pregnant. It just seems odd that people who aren't in higher education and don't have a job can get benefits to help with rent but I can't.

Tell me about it. I was pregnant, single and had a mortgage to pay at the time I got my degree...but the rules were still the same, the student loan is meant to tide you over the full 12 months and in my case pay the mortgage as well.

sunnyone

Breast_Cancer_Survivor wrote: »

Strangely though the government expect the parents to support their own kids rather than the state pay for them.

Breast_Cancer_Survivor wrote: »

I worked all my life until I got ill with breast cancer for the 2nd time at the age of 33 & whilst a single mum of 3 thankyou very much.

Yes im on benefits temporarily until im better & im not ashamed as ive paid into the system.

I was married & working when I had my kids so apart from child benefit didn't claim anything.

2 of my kids are autistic as I am so we are entitled to DLA etc so why shouldn't I claim it?

Yes I would like another child with my new partner as he hasn't had the joy of being a father yet & as in getting on for 40 I might not have time to wait for another couple of years until I can go back to work.

The op's situation is very different to mine & you know it, I am actually entitled to claim benefits & the op isn't.

compare the two posts above, both made by you and they are contradictory.

Worked all your life? Your in your mid thirthies and have been on benefits for a long time so all your life isnt long, is it?

Your partner also gave up his job as soon as he moved in with you to protect/increase your benefits.

And you still claimed IS as a single person until you were investigated for fraud.

People in glass houses shouldnt throw stones.